He was the son of Adalbert II of Ballenstedt and Adelaide of Weimar-Orlamünde, daughter of Otto I of Meissen and his wife, Adela of Louvain.

[3] After Adalbert's death, Siegfried's mother remarried twice, to two successive counts palatine of the Rhineland: first, Hermann II (d.1085), and then Henry of Laach (d.1095).

[4] After Henry's death, Siegfried claimed his title of count palatine of the Rhineland (r.1095/7-1113).

By virtue of his mother, Adelaide's, kinship, Siegfried then claimed Ulric's title.

[9] Siegfried married Gertrude, a daughter of Henry, Margrave of Frisia, with whom he had three children:[10]